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Connecticut Can Do Better!
According to th e Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC), “School Breakfast Scorecard: 2009”, for the fifth consecutive year Connecticut ranks last in the nation in the number of schools participating in the federally funded School Breakfast Program (SBP) as compared to the number of schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Each school day the NSLP provides nutritionally balanced low-cost or free lunches to children in public and non-profit private schools and in residential childcare institutions.
The Facts
-Nationally, the percentage of National School Lunch Program schools offering breakfast has grown from 48.8 % in 1991 to 86.3 % in 2009.
-More than one hundred eligible towns in Connecticut still do not participate in the School Breakfast Program. Only 53.8% of CT schools participating in the National School Lunch Program participate in the School Breakfast Program.
-Research has repeatedly shown that eating breakfast improves school performance, reduces behavioral problems, improves children’s diets and can help reduce obesity.
Read the Principal Memo from the CT State Department of Education supporting School Breakfast expansion in CT!
The National School Breakfast Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture and is open to any school participating in the National School Lunch Program. Any student attending a school that offers the SBP can eat a full price, free or reduced-price breakfast. The amount the school is reimbursed by the federal government depends on the student’s family income.
To qualify for free or reduced-price breakfast a family does not need to fill out additional forms. The information that qualifies them for free or reduced-price lunch qualifies them for free or reduced-price breakfast.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be served just in the cafeteria anymore. Many schools serve breakfast in the classroom, on the bus, in the hallways and after first period. The School Breakfast Program may be started at any point in the school year.
To address Connecticut's consistently poor performance with school breakfast, the Connecticut Breakfast Expansion Team (CBET) was formed in the spring of 2009. CBET is a collaboration of the Child Nutrition Unit of the Connecticut State Department of Education, the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut, End Hunger CT!, The New England Dairy & Food Council, and Connecticut Action for Healthy Kids.
Connecticut Breakfast Expansion Team (CBET):
-offers assistance to schools and districts in their efforts to start or grow a School Breakfast Program.
-assists in outreach to superintendents, business officials, school nurses, as well as food service directors
-can help with financial analysis, resources, networking, marketing and programming.
Considering the School Breakfast Program for the first time, but don’t know where to start?
End Hunger Connecticut! can provide information.
Connecticut Breakfast Expansion Team members are available to assist you by phone, email or in person.
Please contact one of the following CBET members for assistance:
aaldred@newenglanddairy.com
fionnuala.brown@ct.gov
dcrayco@endhungerct.org
jackie.schipke@ct.gov
CBET is working with Connecticut schools to help make School Breakfast a reality for everyone.
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